This article describes best practices for managing system resources for Sun Ray users. Based on an actual customer scenario, this article provides recommendations for integrating and using the Solaris Resource Manager software to fairly distribute system resources when users insert and remove their smart cards from Sun Ray desktop units.

Editor's Note: Sample scripts associated with this article are available from the Sun BluePrints Scripts & Tools web site via the SDLC download service. This article and the scripts are intended for an audience with intermediate to advanced knowledge on this topic.

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This article describes best practices for managing system resources for Sun
Ray™ users. Based on an actual customer scenario, the solution in this
article provides recommendations for integrating and using the Solaris™
Resource Manager software to distribute system resources fairly when users
insert and remove their smart cards from Sun Ray desktop units (DTUs). Sample
scripts associated with this article are available from the Sun
BluePrints™ web site via the Sun Download Center (SDLC) download
service.

This article does not provide introductions to the Sun Ray DTU and the
Solaris Resource Manager software. For an introduction to Sun Ray, refer to the
Sun Ray Server Software 2.0 Administrator's Guide, available from
Sun's web site. For an introduction to Solaris Resource Manager software,
refer to Sun Blueprints OnLine article titled "Resource Management in the
Solaris 9 Operating Environment."

This article contains the following topics:

"Understanding the Background and Case Scenario" on
page 2

"Integrating Solaris Resource Manager Software" on
page 3

"About the Author" on page 10

"Acknowledgements" on page 10

"Related Resources" on page 10

"Ordering Sun Documents" on page 11

"Accessing Sun Documentation Online" on page 11

Understanding the Background and Case Scenario

It's no fun sharing a room with a slob. Inevitably, the person's
mess creeps into your side of the room. Likewise, when consolidating potentially
hundreds of users onto a single Sun Ray server, run-away processes and users who
use too much of system resources can diminish the desktop experience for all
users. Streaming media to a Sun Ray could consume a significant portion of a
400-MegaHertz processor. Unfair! What can be done?

Users should be prevented from consuming more than their fair share of system
resources. Furthermore, users sitting in front of their Sun Ray desktops should
have higher priority than those not at their desktops, so that they have the
resources they need when they need them.

We recently solved this problem when providing session mobility for the
Internet Caf of a customer's annual sales management conference. We
provided session mobility for about 600 users on 70 Sun Rays. In essence, the
solution required Solaris Resource Manager software constraints to be modified
whenever users insert or remove their smart cards from a Sun Ray DTU. Key
elements of the solution include: